Running Water

So a few weeks ago I'd been working my butt off and I decided I needed a break.  Desperately.  I couldn't afford to fly to an island to hide in the wilderness with a hammock, a prayer book, and a box of Franzia, so I googled waterfalls in Oklahoma and came up with Roman Nose State Park.








(Yes, I know, boxed wine is for classless middle aged single women who are never going to get married and who live alone with cats.

For when your wine snob friends
aren't coming over!

I'm 36, never been married, and I don't live alone with cats, I have dogs too! *drinks more box wine and contemplates dying alone)

So I set out on the road to go find a creek to wade in with a waterfall to wade in so I could have a beer with Jesus (figuratively, I brought a Strawberita with me) and play in the water.    I needed to reconnect with God.  I knew from experience that running water is a good place to do that.  There was some planning involved.  State parks in Oklahoma are notorious for a lack of soap in the "bathrooms", packed that, check, in case of no fresh water, Purell, check, and toilet paper, should I be faced with a glorified outhouse.   I also packed a chemical ice pack, because I've met me, I might hurt myself, bandaids, and journal in case I got all poetic.

Since there's not exactly a sign that says "Waterfall in a cave, this way!!!" I had to find the place.   The first time I went through the area I struck out.  I went to Watonga and bought gasoline and came back.

 (You drive to the swimming pool area, past the main parking lot to the little one in the back. Go to the log blocking the road and walk in.  Then you will see this------------------>
Go down those steps.  There's a little wading pool at the bottom with a bridge on the other side.  Cross that, you'll hear the waterfall, and you're welcome.)

I came to a little creek with a small area it was safe to go into it from on the side.   If this makes anyone feel better, I have a terrible right foot that's still unstable and kind of awful from several injuries, so yes, I had to plan this from a crippled up  vantage point.  You can totally do this if you're very careful.  I took off my sneakers and put on my orthopedic flip flops (Walgreens, not a joke) and scooted down into the creek.   The water was freezing cold and before I got to the cave it was up to the bottom of my shorts.   There were about fifteen people there, I wasn't able/willing to stop and pray, but it had a similar effect anyway.

I was wading in ice cold water, up to my butt, to get a closer look at Heaven essentially.    If I hadn't have been surrounded by teenagers and concerned about being completely soggy in my car for the next hour, I would have washed my hair in it.  Not going to lie.

The area around the spring

Go see some wild running water.   It's worth the gas, and the mild heat stroke.  I promise.